Compressor for refrigerating machines



Dec. 22, 1936.. c. STEENSTRUP 2,065,350

COMPRESSOR FOR REFRIGERATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26, 1933 Invenboh:

C-hwiscian Sheen stmup.

Patented Dec. 22, 1936 PATENT COMIPRESSOR FOR REFRIGERATING MACHINES Christian Steenstrup,

Schenectady, N. Y., as-

signor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 26, 1933, Serial No. 686,959

11 Claims.

My invention relates to compressors for refrigerating machines, and more particularly to 'an arrangement for separating oil and com- 7 pressed refrigerant discharged from the com- 5 pressor.

It is an object of my invention to provide a compressor for refrigerating machines having an oil separator which shall be of simple construction and efiective in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of an oil separator and a compressor casing orthe like.

' Further objects and advantages of my invention will become appa nt as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of my invention, 20 reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerating machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a refrigerating machine including a closed motor and compressor casing l within which is arranged a driving motor II and a compressor. The compressor has a crank-shaft l2 which is connected by piston rods 13 to pistons l4 arranged in cylinders l5, formed in a block it in the walls of the casing I ll. The stator of the motor includes suitable windings l1 arranged in a core structure I8 secured in contact with the walls 35" of the casing Ill and the rotor of the motor is mounted on the end of the crank-shaft l2. The crank-shaft is journaled in a bearing I9 and in a plate 20 secured to the casing ill by bolts 2|. A crank-pin 22 isprovided on the end of the crank-shaft .l2.beyond the bearing plate 20. In order .to lubricate the compressor, the crank-pin 22 is arranged to drive an oil pump piston 23 operating in an oscillating cylinder 24 and journaled in a bearing 25 in the bearing plate 20. The cylinder 24 is provided with a port 26 which registers with an intake port 21 during the intake stroke of the piston 23, oil being drawn up through a tube 28 from a body of ofl 2! in the bottom of the casing ill during the intake stroke. A screen 30 prevents particles of foreign matter from entering the oil pump. During the exhaust stroke, the port 26 of the cylinder 24 registers with an exhaust port (not shown) and forces the oil out into the lubricating passages of thefl compressor, which are arranged within the shaft and in the bearings in a manner well known in the art. Cylinder 24 is provided with a fiat surface seated on the bearing plate 20 and is held against the bearing plate by a'sprlng 3| arranged between the bearing 25 and a retainer 32 on a trunnion 33 of the cylinder 24. Gas is drawninto the casing i0 through a suction conduit 34 and enters the cylinders l5 through intake ports controlled by spring-pressed valves 35 in the tops of the pistons I4, the cranks of the pistons being arranged 180 degrees apart on the shaft I2. Gas compressed in the cylinders I5 is exhausted through discharge ports 36 e in the heads of the cylinders and enters a chamber formed by securing a. dome 31 by bolts 38 to the block l6 above the cylinders l5. Compressed gaseous refrigerant is discharged into the dome 31 and flows from the-dome through a connection 39 into a condenser comprising a plurality of helically wound tubes 40 connected between upper and lower manifolds 4| and 42, respectively. The dome 31 and the condenser are enclosed in a shell 43-forming a water jacket which is secured by bolts 44 to an annular shoulder 45 on the walls of the casing Ill. Cooling water is admitted to the lower portion of the shell 43 through a connection 46 and is directed upwardly over the tubes 40 by a cylindrical baflie 41. The water then flows over the top of the baflie 41, around the dome 37 and also around the block "5. The water is withdrawn from the casing 43 through an annular cooling jacket 48 arranged about the motor II, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. After passing through the jacket 48 the water passes out through a connection 49. The gaseous refrigerant cooled by circulating water is liquefied in the condenser and flows out through a. connection 50 and a conduit 5| to a receiver or floatvalve chamber 52 from which it flows in regulated quantities through a conduit 53 to a header 54 of a flooded evaporator 55. The evaporator is provided with sinuous tubes 56 connected to the header below the level of liquid refrigerant indicated at 54a for the circulation of liquid refrigerant, and refrigerant vaporized in the evaporator 55 by absorption of heat from the chamber to be cooled is withdrawn from the header 54 through the suction conduit 34 by the compressor in the casing Ill.

In refrigerating systems of the type herein described a portion of the lubricant in the compressor cylinders mixes with the compressed refrigerant and is discharged from the cylinders.

It is desirable to separate the oil from the refrigerant before admitting the refrigerant to the evaporator in order to prevent an accumulation of oil in the evaporator, which would decrease the "eiflciency thereof.. I provide a device arranged within the dome into which gas is dis- 5 charged from the compressor for separating the oil and the refrigerant which are discharged, and for returning the oil to the compressor casing whenever a predetermined quantity is collected in'the separator. 8 10 Referring again to Fig. 1, I have shown an upright cup 51 opening away from the discharge ports arranged within the dome 31 and supported on' the block i6 by a connection 58 through which the oil collected in the separator is returned to l the casing l8, as hereinafter described. The cup 51 is spaced from the walls of the dome 31 and is provided with an out-turned rim 59 having openings 68 to allow passage of compressed refrigerant and oil. .Cup 51 is preferably made of copper or any other suitable material of high thermal conductivity in order topermit ready dissipation of heat from the cup to the Walls of the dome 31 which is cooled by the water circulating thereover. The compressed gas containing oil which is discharged from the compressor through the ports 36 enters the dome 31' below the cup 51 and passes upwardly between the cup and the dome where it is substantially cooled and passes through the openings 68 and impinges against a downwardly projecting annular baflle 6| formed in the upper wall of the dome 31 and which projects below the rim of the cup. The

cooling of the compressed gas, together with its impact against the sides of the openings 68 and 35 against the bailie 6| causes the oil to separate from the gas and to collect in drops which fall to 'the bottom of the cup 51. The end of the' connection 39 is secured to the dome 31 by a joint including a nut 62 in the threaded member 40 63, and a screen 64 mounted between disks 65 is secured to the lower end of the member 63 which is arranged entirely above the lower edge of .the baffle 6| and prevents foreign particles from passing into the condenser and also further tends to separate any oil which may remain in the gas.

In order to return the oil collected in the cup 51 to the casing 10, I provide a valve 66 mounted in the upperend of the connection 58 and connected to be operated through links 61 and 68 by a float 69. The link 61 is pivoted-to the valve 66 at 18 and to the link 68 at 1|, and the link 68 is pivoted to an L-shaped bracket 12 at 13. The

bracket 12 comprises a support for the float mechanism and is secured to the cup 51 together with the connection 58 by a nut 14 threaded on the connection 58 within the cup 51. The float 69 is mounted to move vertically on a shaft 15 secured to the cup and L-shaped member at 16.

0 When a predetermined amount of oil collects ,in the bottom of the cup, the float 69 will rise and lift the valve 66 to allow a quantity of the oil to flow through an opening 16 in the side of the connection 58 and to flow downwardly through 5 the connection 58 and a passage 11 in the block I6, back to the body of oil 28 in the bottom of the casing 18. The oil accumulating in the cup 51 is returned to the compressor casing in this manner as the compressor maintains the pres- 70 sure in the dome 31 considerably above the pressure in the compressor casing I6.

In the operation of the refrigerating system shown in Fig.1, refrigerant gas compressed in the cylinders I5 is discharged through the ports 75 36 into the dome 31, which is cooled by water circulating within the casing 43. The gas is cooled as it passes between the cup 51 and the dome 31, and the force of the impact against the rim of the cup and against the baflle 6!, together with the turbulent circulation produced by the sudden 5 change in direction of the flow of the gas when it reaches the top of the dome and must pass downwardly around the baflie 66, causes any oil which is contained in the gas to be separated out and to collect in the bottom of the cup 51. I Gas 10 then passes out through the screen and the connection 39 to the condenser tubes 60 where it is cooled and liquefied by the circulation .of cooling water flowing into the casing 63 through the connection 46. The liquefied refrigerant 15 then flows down through the conduit 5| to the receiver 52 from which it is delivered in regulated quantities through the conduit 53 to the header 56 of the evaporator 55. Since the oil has been separated from the gas within the dome 2o 31,'a body of oil does not collect within the evaporator 56 and thereby decrease the capacity and emciency of the evaporator. The evaporator 55 is located within the chamber to be cooled and upon absorbing heat from the chamber the liquid 25 refrigerant within the evaporator is vaporized and collects in the header 54 from which it is withdrawn through the conduit 36 byoperation of the compressor. When a predetermined amount of oil has collected within the cup 51, 30 the float 69 rises and lifts thevalve 66 from its seat in the connection 58 and thereby allows the oil to return through passage 11 to the easing l0.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have 35 provided a compact refrigerating machine having an'oil separator which is of simple construction and is efiective in operation.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a compression refrigerating system, 40 other applications will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I do not desire my invention to be limited to the specific invention shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within 45 the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A compressor casing having a discharge opening therein, means secured to said casing 50 and including a chamber having an inlet over. said discharge opening for receiving compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means including a cup arranged in said chamber and having walls spaced from the walls of said 5 chamber for separating the liquid particles from the gas and for collecting the liquid particles, and means including a valve arranged in said cup for removing said liquid from said chamber.

2. A compressor casing having a discharge 60 opening, means secured to said casing and including a chamber having an inlet over said discharge opening for receiving compressed gas from said compressor, means including a cup arranged in said chamber and having walls spaced from the 5 walls of said chamber for separating liquid from the gas and for collecting the liquid, said cup having an annular rim extending toward the walls of said chamber, an annular bafile secured to the upper wall of said chamber and extending within the rim of said cup, means including a float arranged in said cup for removing liquid collected in said cup from said chamber, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

3. A compressor including a closed casing having a cylinder block in the walls thereof, means including a chamber having walls secured to the walls of said casing for receiving compressed gas from said compressor, means including a cup arranged in said chamber and having walls spaced from the walls of said chamber for separating lubricant from the gas discharged from said compressor and for collecting the lubricant, means including a float arranged in said cup for removing said lubricant from said cup, means for discharging gas from said chamber, and means including a closed shell surrounding said chamber for circulating water around said chamber to cool said chamber and said cylinder block.

4. A compressor casing having a discharge opening therein for compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means secured to said casing over said opening and including a chamber for receiving said compressed gas from said casing, means including a cup arranged in said chamber and having walls spaced from the walls of said chamber for separating the liquid pmicles from said compressed gas and for collecting the liquid particles, said compressed gas being discharged into said chamber below said cup, and means for removing the liquid collected in said cup.

5. A compressor casing having a discharge opening therein for compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means secured to said casing over said opening and including a chamber for receiving said compressed gas from said casing, means including a cup arranged in said chamber and having walls spaced from the walls of said chamber for separating the liquid particles from said compressed gas and for collecting the liquid particles, said compressed gas being discharged into said chamber below said cup, and means for removing the liquid collected in said cup and for returning said liquid to said casing.

6. A compressor casing having a discharge opening therein for compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means secured to said casing over said opening and including a chamber for receiving said compressed gas from said casing, a cup arranged within said chamber above said discharge opening and opening away from said discharge opening, means including an out-turned rim on said cup engaging the walls of said discharge opening, means including an outturned rim on said cup engaging the walls of said chamber and having a plurality of spaced open- ;ings therein for separating liquid particles from said compressed gas' whereby said liquid is colle -ted in the bottom of said cup, means for removing liquid from said cup and for returning said liquid to said casing, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

8. A compressor casing having a discharge opening therein for compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means secured to said casing over said opening and including a chamber for receiving said compressed gas from said casing, a cup arranged within said chamber above said discharge opening and opening away from said discharge opening, means including an out-turned rim on said cup engaging the walls of said chamber and having a plurality of spaced openings therein for separating liquid particles from said compressed gas whereby said liquid is collected in the bottom of said cup, a shell secured to said casing and surrounding said chamber, means admitting cooling fluid to said shell for cooling said chamber and said casing, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

9. A compressor casing having a cylinder block, a cylinder head secured to said cylinder block and having a discharge port therein, means including a chamber having walls secured to said cylinder block and surrounding said cylinder head for receiving from said discharge port compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means including a cup arranged in said chamber for separating liquid particles from said compressed gas and for collecting said liquid, means for removing said liquid from said cup, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

10. A compressor casing having a cylinder block, a cylinder head secured to said cylinder block and having a discharge port therein, means including a chamber having walls secured to said cylinder block and surrounding said cylinder head for receiving from said discharge port compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, a cup arranged within said chamber above said cylinder head and opening away from said cylinder block, means including an outturned rim on said cup engaging the walls of said chamber and having a plurality of spaced openings therein for separating liquid particles from the said compressed gas and for collecting said liquid in the bottom of said cup, means for removing said liquid from said cup, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

11. A compressor casing having a cylinder block, a cylinder head secured to said block and having a discharge port therein, means including a chamber having walls secured to said block and surrounding said cylinder head for receiving from said discharge port compressed gas having liquid particles entrained therein, means including a cup arranged in said chamber for separating liquid particles from said compressed gas and for collecting said liquid, means for removing liquid from said cup and for returning said liquid to said casing, a shell secured to said casing and surrounding said chamber and said block, means admitting cooling fluid to said shell for cooling said chamber and said block, and means for withdrawing compressed gas from said chamber.

CHRISTIAN STEENSTRUP. 

